Shock absorber



INVENTOR. [014 400 5 [Em/1c:

ATTORNEY E. E. WALLACE suocx ABSORBER Filed Aug. 13, 1947 March 20, 1951 wherein Patented Mar. 20, 1951 SHOCK ABSORBER Edward E. Wallace, Cleveland Heights, Ohio; Daisy T. Wallace administratrix of said Edward E. Wallace, deceased Application August 13, 1947, Serial No. 768,455

*7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to shock absorbers adapted to reduce or prevent quick and undue vibrations to the frames or structural units of transportation apparatus, whereby the passengers carried thereby are relieved of physical strains and jolts and danger of damage to the frames and/or freight carried thereby and structural units and other parts of the apparatus is materially reduced or avoided.

The shock absorber, as herein disclosed, may form part of a mounting for the surface engaging member (such as a wheel) for a vehicle, for example, part of the landing gear of an airplane or to resist lateral thrusts on the gear during landing of the airplane, but it will be obvious that the invention is not to be limited in its application to an airplane and that one or more shock absorbers may be employed accordingly as the construction of any specific apparatus may require, and whether the frame is suspended wholly or partially by springs and/or rubber.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved shock absorber capable of supporting the weight of the frame of an apparatus and. having a combined cushioning and return retarding means to reduce vibrat ons due to shock and jolts, during operation of the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved shock absorber, wherein the employment of springs and/or rubber are eliminated.

A further object of the invent on is to provide a shock absorber of simple construction embodying certain improvements in the form of construction disclosed in :my application Ser. No. 431,102, filed February 16, 1942, now Patent Number 2,415,615,

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved shock absorber.consisting of relatively movable cylinders and a piston connected to each cylinder and fitting the wall of the other cylinder, to form therein a sealed chamber, one cylinder being filled with a compressible fluid under pressure and the other cylinder being filled with a non-compressible fluid under pressure and means provided in one piston for controlling theflow of the non-compressible fluid from and to the cylinder therefor during relative movements of the cylinders.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates from the following description taken in connectionwith theaccompanying drawing,

2 Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a shock absorber embodying my invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are fragmentary sectionsof parts shown in Fig. 1., enlarged.

Fig. 4 is a view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on the line 66 of Fig. 4, enlarged.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a shock absorber showing a modified embodiment of the invention. Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are sections on the lines '88, 99 and |0-l0, respectively, of Figs. 1 and 7.

In the drawing, l, 2, indicate telescopically related hollow cylinders closed at their outer ends by walls Ia, 2a, respectively. Each wall I a, 2a, is provided with projecting elements 3 for connection to the structural parts of the apparatus to be relieved of stresses during operation thereof. To'permit of assembly of certain parts of the shock. absorber, hereinafter referred to, the end wall 2a consists of a cap threaded on the adjacent end of the cylinder 2 and sealed relative thereto by a gasket 2b. The inner end of the cylinder l is internally provided with screw threads to receive and support the outer member of a suitable gland 4 which sealingly closes the space between the cylinders I, 2, while permitting telescopic or relative movement there between. The cylinder 2 extends through the gland 4 into the cylinder l, its inner end portion being externally provided with screw threads and engages the inner threaded wall of a recess 5 formed in a piston 6 which slidably fits the walls of the cylinder I. The piston 6 is provided with suitable rings 6a to provide a sealed relation with the inner wall of the cylinder l.

p The cylinder I, between its end wall Ia and the piston 6, is filled with a suitable -gas-preferably air-under an initial pressure dependent on the overall weight of the apparatus or parts to which the cylindersare connected and itsnormal carry capacity. As will be observed, the air is adapted to be compressed when the cylinders l, 2, move relatively, one toward the other, and hence .yieldingly resists relative movement of the cylinders I, 2. In normal position of the cylinders I, .2, the piston 6 is spaced from the gland 4 to form a chamber 1 for a purpose later set forth and throughout this space the cylinder 2 is formed with an opening 8 communicating with the chamber 1. I preferably provide two openings 8, in diametrical relation (see Fig. 5), in the wall of the cylinder 2. 9 indicates a tubular member extending axially of the cylinder I. The outer end portion of the member 9 extends through an opening lb formed in the end wall la, the member 9 being externally threaded and having threaded connection with the wall of the opening II) to secure the member in fixed relation to the cylinder I. The tubular member 9 extends through an opening 6b formed in the piston S, and inwardly of the latter the member 9 is provided with a hollow piston Iii, which slidably fits the wall of the cylinder 2. The screw thread connection between the member 9 and end wall Ia permits the piston It! to be adjusted relative to the cylinder I or piston 6 when found desirable. The cylinder 2, between the piston IE] and end wall 2a is filled with a substantially non-compressible fluid, such as oil, under pressure equal to the initial pressure of the air in the cylinder I, so that the pressure of each medium counterbalances that of the other medium when the cylinders I, 2, are in normal or extended position, as shown in Fig. 1. The wall of the opening 6b is provided with suitable piston rings to prevent escape of the air in the cylinder I and leakage of the oil from the cylinder 2 into the cylinder I. The cylinders I, 2, are charged with air and oil, respectively, through suitable valves II, I2, which are preferably similar in construction, one thereof being shown in Fig. 6 and consisting of the following: I3 indicates a nipple through which the adjacent cylinder is charged with fluid (air or oil). The inner end of the nipple is screw threaded into an opening formed in the cylinder wallside wall or end wall thereof-and the bore through the nipple I3 is shaped to form a seat for a valve I3a, to prevent outflow of the medium. The valve |3CL is yieldingly held in engagement with its seat by a spring I3b, supported on a cross pin I30. The outer end of the nipple I3 is externally threaded to receive a removable cap I3d, which may be tightened against a suitable gasket I 3e. The opposite side walls of the piston ID are formed with openings lilac, in registry with the openings 8 in the wall of the cylinder 2, to provide a connection between the interior of the piston I and the chamber I. The outer end wall of thepiston I0 is formed with an axially disposed opening Illa forming a valve seat for a valve element I012. The valve element I0?) is provided integrally with an inwardly extending shank I00, the valve element IUb and shank I00 being formed with a relatively small through opening id to permit oil flow therethrough, in the manner later set forth. When the cylinder 2 is initially charged with oil, the latter flows through the opening Illd to fill the piston H1 and chamber I. The valve shank Illc is provided intermediate its ends with a collar I4, which forms the seat for one end of a coiled spring I5, the opposite end of the spring being seated against the inner end wall Ille of the piston ID; as will be observed, the spring I is under compression and tends to maintain the valve element ID?) in engagement with its seat Illa. By preference, the outer end wall of the piston I0 consists of a cap Iflz having a skirt threadedly engaging the inner wall of piston III, and between the cap I02 and the openings Him the inner wall of the piston is shaped to accommodate the collar I4 and co-act therewith to guide the shank I00 endwise during opening and closing movements of the valve. The inner end wall Ille of the piston. I!) is formed with a plurality of through ports Illf through which the oil flows during the relative expanding movement of the cylinders I, 2 as later set forth.

It will be observed that when the cylinders I, 2, are subjected to a force which effects a relative inward or retracting movement thereof (that is, one cyinder moves toward the end wall of the other cylinder or both simultaneously move in these directions), the air in the cylinder I is compressed by the piston 6, the increased pressure on the oil in cylinder 2 forces the valve Illb open and oil flows through the opening Illa into the piston II], the piston 6 and gland 4 are separated and. effect an enlargement of the chamber 'I for the oil forced through the valve opening Illa, the piston 6 and inner end wall We of the piston are separated to form an enlarged auxiliary chamber between them, and the openings 8 are connected with auxiliary chamber below the inner end wall Ille of the piston Ill, so that the oil in the chamber 1 flows into the auxiliary chamber. To control the return flow of the oil to the cylinder 2 in the reverse relative or expanding movement of the cylinders, I provide an oil fiow restricting means, which may be adjusted externally of the cylinders, at the inner end of the valve element shank Inc. As the valve lab is closed by the pressure on the oil immediately the cylinders move in the expanding direction, and the return flow of the oil must be through the opening Ind, the restricting means is disposed in the path of the oil as it flows to the cylinder 2. As shown, the wall at the inner end portion of the opening "id in the shank I00 is conically shaped, as shown at log and surrounds a similarly shaped member I6 forming the inner end of a rod Ilia slidably fitting and extending through the tubular member 9. The outer end portion of the rod I6a has screw threaded engagement with the inner wall of the tubular member 9, so that by turning the rod I6a, by means of a device I'I fixed to its outer end, the rod IBa is moved endwise, the effect of which is to adjust the area of the flow space between member I6 and conical wall lug, thereby increasing or decreasing the rate of "flow of the oil through the opening I011 into the cylinder 2. By preference, the adjustable connection of the rod IBa with the head I a, is constructed to prevent escape of oil from the tubular member 9. Accordingly, I provide a gland IBb which is engaged by a hollow nut I60 and threaded into the member 9. The inner wall of the nut I60 is provided with screw threads, which are engaged by the threads on the outer end portion of the rod Ilia, as shown in Fig. 3.

In the initial expanding movement of the cylinders a portion of the oil in the auxiliary chamber is forced through the openings I0 and a portion thereof is forced into the chamber I until the openings 8 move past the piston end wall We; in the continued relative movement of the cylinder I, 2, the remaining oil in the auxiliary chamber is forced through the openings Illf into the piston and the excess oil in the piston I0 and chamber I is forced through the restricting means into the cylinder 2, to retard the expanding movement of the cylinders.

Fig. 7 shows a slightly modified form of construction, the cylinders indicated at Ix, 2x, being shown in their retracted position with the valve Illb open. The parts shown in Fig. 7 are similar in construction to likeparts shown in Figs. 1 to 6, except that openings through the inner end wall of the piston IEizr in the cylinder 2w are smitted and flow of the oil from the auxiliary chamber into the piston like, when the cylinders Ix, 2c, are expanding to normal position, is through chan- 11 5 8 form d in the side walls of the inner end wall, *preferably in =alinement=with the open eingstazformedin the wall-of *the cylinder 20:.

To those skilled in the art to which my *invention'relatesmany changes in'construction and Widely differing embodiments and applications of *the invention will suggest themselve without departing "from the spirit and "scope of the invention. My, disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative .and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

What "I claim is:

1. In a shock absorber, the combination of a hollow cylinder, a piston reciprocatable therein, said cylinder between the outer end wall and said .piston being filled with .air under pressure, a separate hollow cylinder extending intorsaidifirst mentioned cylinder and connec'tecl'to said piston,

inner end of said piston being formed with a "recess, a 'hollow piston 'havin "outer and inner end walls reciprocatable in-said separate cylinder and connected to said first mentioned cylinder,

, saidfirstmentionedcylinder between its end wall sealing means between the inner end ofJs'ai'dlfirst mentioned cylinder and said separate cylinder, a separate hollow piston in said separate cylinder and provided at its outer end with a normally closed valve, a rigid member extending through said first unentioned piston for securing said separate piston in fixed relation to said first mentioned rcylinder, said separate cylinder being filled with fluid under pressure, said valve being operable to control the flow of fluid from said separate cylinder into said separate piston and said first mentioned cylinder betweensaid first mentioned piston and said sealing means the valve element of said valve being formed with a through opening, and a device extending into the inner end of said opening to restrict the return flow of thefluid therethrough to said separate cylinder.

2. A shock absorber as claimed in claim 1 wherein said device extends through said first mentioned cylinder and is adjustably connected at its outer end to the end wall of said cylinder.

3. In a, shock absorber, the combination of a hollow cylinder, a piston reciprocatable therein, said cylinder between its outer end wall and said piston being filled with air under pressure, a

separate hollow cylinder extending into said first mentioned cylinder and connected to said piston, sealing means between the inner end of said first mentioned cylinder and said separate cylinder, a separate hollow piston reciprocatable in said separate cylinder, said separate cylinder being filled with fluid under pressure, a tubular member connecting said separate piston to the end wall of said first mentioned cylinder, a valve in the end wall of said separate piston arranged to control the flow of fluid from said separate cylinder into said hollow piston and said first mentioned cylinder between said first mentioned piston and said sealing means, the valve element of said valve being formed with a through opening, and a rod adjustably connected at its outer end to the end wall of said first mentioned cylinder and extending through said tubular member, the inner end of said rod extending into said opening and co-acting with the wall thereof to restrict the return flow of fluid therethrough to said separate cylinder.

4. In ashock absorber, the combination of a hollow cylinder, a separate hollow cylinder ex-' tending into said first mentioned cylinder, sealing means between the inner end of said first mentioned cylinder and said separate cylinder, a piston reciprocatable in said first mentioned cylinder, connected to the inner end of said separate cylinder and spaced from said sealing means to form a liquid receiving space, the wall and said .first mentioned piston "being filled with under fp'ressure and said separate cylinder being .filled "with "fluid under pressure, the inner end wall 'o'f'sa'id hollow piston being formed "with ports leading into said recess, a "valve in the outer end wall of said separate jpist'o'n arranged to control the dew of fluid from said separate cylinder "into said fhollow piston and said space and through said ports iiritosai'd'reces's, the valve element :of said valve fbeing formed with a through opening to initially supply fluid from said separate cylinder tosaid' hollow piston,said space and said recess, and a device connected at its outer end .to the end wall of 'said first mentioned cylinder and extending through said firstme'ntione'd'piston'and into said h'ollow'piston, the inner end-of said "device extending into said opening and related to. the walls thereof ior re- 'sitricting the "return "How of fluid "to said separate cylinder.

5. In a shock absorber, the combination of a hollow cylinder, a separate cylinder extending into said first mentioned cylinder, means adjacent the open end of said first mentioned cylinder, for closing the space between said cylinders, a piston reciprocatable in. said first mentioned cylinder, connected to the inner end of said separate cylinder and forming with said closing means a chamber for fluid, a hollow piston in said separate cylinder inwardly of said first mentioned piston, means extending through said first mentioned piston for connecting said hollow piston to said first mentionel cylinder, whereby 7 said pistons during movement of said separate cylinder inwardly of said first mentioned cylinder form an auxilitary chamber between them to receive fluid from said first mentioned chamber, said first mentioned cylinder being filled with air under pressure and said separate cylinder being filled with fiuid under pressure, said hollow piston having outer and inner end walls, the side walls of said hollow piston and said separate cylinder being formed with openings communicating with said first mentioned chamber when the cylinders are in normal position and the inner end wall of said hollow piston being formed with a port through which fluid fiows from the auxiliary chamber into said hollow piston, a valve in the outer end wall of said hollow piston to control the flow of fluid from said separate cylinder into said hollow piston, the valve element of said valve being formed with a through opening to initially supply fluid from said separate cylinder to said hollow piston and said first mentioned chamber, and means related to the inner end of said last mentioned opening to restrict the return flow of fluid therethrough to said separate cylinder.

6. In a shock absorber, the combination of a hollow cylinder, a separate cylinder extending into said first mentioned, cylinder, means adjacent the open end of said first mentioned cylinder for closing the space between said cylinders, a

piston reciprocatable in said first mentioned eylinder, connected to and closing the inner end of said separate cylinder and formin with said closing means a chamber for fluid, a hollow piston in said separate cylinder inwardly of said first mentioned piston, means extending through said first mentioned piston for connecting said hollow piston in fixed relation to said first mentioned cylinder, the movement of either piston in the adjacent cylinder toward the end wall of the latter being arranged to form an auxiliary chamber between said hollow piston and the closed end of said separate cylinder to receive fluid from said first mentioned chamber, said first mentioned cylinder being filled with air under pressure and said separate cylinder being :filled with fluid under pressure, said hollow piston having outer and inner end walls, the side walls of said hollow piston and said separate cylinder being formed with openings communieating with said first mentioned chamber when said cylinders are in normal position and the inner end wall of said hollow piston being formed with an oil fiow connection through which fluid flows from the anxiliary chamber into said hollow piston, a valve in the outer end wall of said hollow piston to control the flow of fluid from said separate cylinder into said hollow piston, the valve element of said valve being formed with a through opening to initially supply fluid from said separate cylinder to said hollow piston and said first mentioned chamber, and means related 8 to the inner end of said last mentioned'opening to restrict the return flow of fluid therethrough to said separate cylinder.

7. A shock absorber as claimed in claim 6 wherein the flow connection formed in the inner end wall of said hollow piston consists of a channel extending along the side of said wall.

EDWARD E. WALLACE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 7 1,219,035 Pettengill Mar. 13, 1917 1,616,540 Morgan Feb.8, 1927 2,213,823 Renfer Sept. 3, 1940 2,275,462 Parilla Mar. 10, 1942 2,363,125 Foster Nov. 21, 194A FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 741,291 France Dec.'3, 1932 777,611 France Dec. 5, 1934 45,059 France Mar. 11, 1935 

